This story is intended for amusement purposes only. This story is not meant to infringe on the names of Remington Steele, Laura Holt or anything that would cause MTM productions or anybody else to sue me. This story is the property of Lisa Watson ã 2001.
Laura spotted Remington descending on her table. Hysteria wash over her. He looked ready to do battle, and take no prisoners! Though she wasn't drunk, she had imbibed enough alcohol to make her countenance unpredictable. She raised her eyes to his but didn't speak. After a few seconds of agonizing silence Darien cleared his thought.
"Can we help you with something?" Darien said looking up at Remington.
Remington eyed him briefly and dismissed him without another glance. "You can't, she can." He said menacingly.
Without hesitation Remington pulled Laura from her chair and steered her around the dance floor toward the door. With a shake of her head Laura warned Darien against interceding. Taking the cue Darien shrugged his shoulders and went in search of another diversion. Laura may have been inebriated but she wasn't stupid, she didn't offer any resistance. Remington's eye caught Felecia as he and Laura went by and he stopped short. His eyebrow arched when he saw a pale Mildred standing beside Daniel.
"Ah Mildred, I'm almost as surprised to see you as I am our dear Miss Holt. This indeed seems to be a family affair," He said bluntly. "I'll deal with you two later," Remington added as he looked at Felecia and Daniel.
The air wasn't cold but there were goose bumps on Laura's skin. Once Remington had gotten Laura out of the French doors he dropped the pretense of civility. He pulled Laura towards the pool house and once they'd reached it he forcefully turned her around to face him.
"Would you mind telling me what the hell you're doing here?" Remington ground out.
"I was invited," Laura said as she rubbed her throbbing arm.
"Cut the pretense Laura. I am, as you can tell, not in the mood. "I asked you what you are doing in Monte Carlo,"
"I came because I thought we should talk over a few things," Laura began.
"Talk over a few things? Was every bloody phone in California out of order? You could have called and spared yourself the expense of coming all this way to hear me tell you we've got nothing to discuss. Now if you hurry I'm sure you can find a plane leaving for L.A." Remington replied curtly.
"Look, I understand you're upset..." Laura started.
"Upset? Honestly Laura what the hell do I have to be upset about eh? I mean you've made it painfully clear how you feel about me and what you want out of life so what is there to discuss?" He shouted.
"I had no idea you were leaving town, much less the country! You could've let me know your plans but you just up and left without a word to me and I wanted to know why," Laura began.
"Why do you feel the need to know everything that I'm doing at every hour of the day? I told Mildred I was going out of town for awhile and I'm sure she relayed that message to you. That should have been enough for you,"
"Since when? We're partners and that last time I looked close friends. You expect me not to wonder why you could tell Mildred you were leaving but not me? You've never done that before and you thought I wouldn't find that the least bit strange?" Laura shot back.
"Maybe you did find it strange Laura, but I hardly think it warranted you hopping a plane and coming all the way to France to question me about it," Remington seethed.
Remington ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "You know I'm curious about something, since when does a partnership not include trust? I've saved your life and your agency countless times over the years but that doesn't seem to count for much in your eyes does it Laura? Obviously you still don't trust me unless you can SEE me so what's the point of continuing it eh?" Remington concluded.
"You can't mean that. Of course I trust you. I trust you with my life," Laura cried.
"But not my name? Do you think I'm not aware of the damned image I've got to maintain around the clock? You think I don't realize how important being "Remington Steele" is? Granted when I stepped into this role years ago I didn't have a clue what I was doing or just what becoming your figurehead would mean for my life. I think I've done a remarkable job of it but you still can't give me the credit and the space I deserve. Why? Are you jealous of what I've accomplished Laura?" Remington challenged.
"Yes Dammit! Sometimes I am! It's hard knowing that regardless of my intelligence and experience I still owe a big part of my professional success to you and the fact that you stepped in and became Remington Steele. I can't tell you how much pressure I feel because after all I've done, everything I've accomplished is riding more on your shoulders than it is mine!" And to make it worse I was physically attracted to the object of my derision from day one," She said bitterly.
"And you believe I didn't feel the same? Everything I've accomplished over the last few years has been because of you. My flat, car, the food I ate and the clothes on my back started out being solely from your merits and talents. You don't think that made me feel a bit resentful too?" Remington countered. "And now you've complicated matters by interjecting Antony into this already bizarre situation,"
"Why is this any different from when you used to date other women? Because the shoe is on the other foot this time? You expected me to deal with it so why can't you? Why are you letting your hostility for Tony come between us?" Laura argued.
"This isn't the same at all Laura. I despise Antony Roselli and it isn't MY hosility that's come between us it's your poor judgement and inability to think of anyone but yourself. I may have dated other women to make you jealous before or just out of boredom, but I never slept with any of them! YOU intentionally drove the last nail in the wall standing between us and you knew damn well I would find the situation intolerable. We've been flitting back and forth between a strictly platonic and a physical relationship for how many years Laura? And out of the bloody blue Tony Roselli shows up and without so much as a by your leave you decide he's the one for you and to hell with my feelings. Without another thought you give Tony the key to your heart and the green light to your bed. The very same key I might add, that you've been dangling over my head since I first met you," He sneered.
"And how would you know? Am I wearing a sign on my head that says I've just been freshly made love to?" She said unkindly.
Remington ran his hand over Laura's arm and down her side. Without a warning he grabbed Laura and kissed her. His kiss was soft, exploring and utterly invasive. Laura instantly reacted to the intimate touch. Despite her anger she succumbed to the pressure his lips exuded on hers. Of their own volition her arms went around his neck. His body crushed her to him as his hands molded her bottom firmly against his middle. When he sensed Laura's submission his kiss hardened. Laura felt the change and tried to pull away but he held her firmly against him. His kiss was now meant to punish her and she knew it. When he finally ended the kiss he looked down in the moonlit darkness at her. Her lips were swollen and her eyes glared up at him. He smiled coldly at her.
"Laura I may be many things but I am certainly no fool. So what happened Laura? You parted your legs for Tony and it wasn't all you expected it to be? No fireworks or blazing cannons? Is that why you're here? You decided you'd sleep with both of us and compare notes?" Remington said cruelly. Well forget it Laura! You've added insult to injury one time too many. I'm not playing relationship limbo with you anymore," Remington finished and abruptly realeased her.
Laura stumbled back a few steps and without hesitation brought her hand up to slap his face. He caught it in mid air and pulled it to his chest.
"I've taken about all the blows to my pride that I'm going to Laura," Remington warned.
"You're a bloody hypocrite! You have the gall to talk about me and Tony when I find you in bed tonight wrapped up nice and cozy with you're indian princess. I wonder how many other women you've added to your little harem since you've gotten here," Laura shouted.
"You absurd woman, there wouldn't BE any indian princess if you hadn't hopped into Roselli's bed the first chance you got!" Remington fired back. "This is pointless. Go home Laura. You and I have nothing further to discuss. I'll return to L.A. when I can look at you without wanting to throttle you," Remington said and turned to walk away.
Laura shrieked in rage and lunged at his back. Before he could turn around she pushed him as hard as she could propelling him into the pool. Remington's body soared briefly through the air and none too gracefully hit the water with a resounding splat. It took a few seconds for him to float back to the top and swim to the pool's edge. As soon as his head was above water Laura raged at him.
"It would appear I've chosen your surname well because you're a cold-hearted bastard! Don't do me any favors Mr. Steele! You can stay here and screw whoever the hell you like! I don't care anymore who or what you do!" Laura said with finality.
Laura spun around and ran through the garden. Remington pulled himself out of the pool and stood there a few seconds. Water instantly pooled around his feet and fanned out in all directions. He heard the sounds of dripping water echo around him and released a series of loud expletives before stalking off toward the guest house. Some time later Remington walked back in the ballroom. He saw Felecia and immediately sought her out.
"Remington! Thank heavens! I was starting to send get concerned. Where's Laura?" Felecia asked looking nervously behind Remington.
"I assumed she'd come back here to pack," Remington said with barely restrained anger.
"Pack? Why would she be packing? Remington what happened out there and why in the world are you wearing a different tuxedo?" Felecia asked.
"I'm not going in to details Felecia. Suffice it to say I told Laura to go back to L.A. and I can only hope she heeds my advice," He replied.
"I'm not sure what strong hold tactics you used but..."
"Strong hold? I'm the one that got a dousing in your bloody pool," Remington ground out.
"I've no doubt you deserved it," Felecia said as she signaled to a servant.
She instructed the woman to go upstairs and check on Laura. The young woman curtsied and left the room.
A few minutes later the young lady walked quickly up to Felecia looking nervous.
"Madmoiselle Holt is not in her room," She told Felecia.
Felecia glared at Remington and asked the woman to have a few servants search the house.
"Oh good heavens Felecia she's probably out in the garden or somewhere pacing," Remington said irritably.
'You'd better be right." Felecia snapped and walked away.
She found Mildred and Daniel a few moments later and inquired about Laura. When they'd both denied having seen her since she'd left with Remington, Felecia frowned. She told them about Laura and Remington's fight but couldn't give them details other than Laura had pushed Remington in the pool and ran off.
"I'm sure she'll turn up," Daniel said.
"Sure she will. Knowing Laura she's probably just walking her anger off," Mildred chimed in.
Remington walked up at that moment. "Find her yet?" He asked the group.
"We're waiting to here back from everyone," Felecia informed him.
"I've just spoken with the butler and she hasn't come in or out the front door,"
"This is ridiculous. You three wait here, I'll go see what my staff has come up with," Felecia said impatiently.
"Boss what happened," Mildred asked after Felecia had gone.
"It's a long, unpleasant story Mildred that I'd rather not re-live," Remington sighed.
Felecia walked back to them as fast as her gown would allow. "She's not in the house or on the grounds and it appears the Audi is missing," Felecia said quickly.
"In her present condition I think we should locate her straight away," Daniel observed.
"I agree. We can't waste any time finding her. Laura doesn't know the roads and they can get dangerous if one doesn't pay attention and considering her state of mind when she left...Daniel, you and Mildred head for town along the main road and I'll go the back way. Felecia, I'm taking the Porsche, call me in the car if she returns," Remington said as he headed for the door.
"Right," Daniel said as he and Mildred followed.
"Damn!" Remington muttered and rushed back to Felecia. "Felecia, is Sabrina still here?"
"No darling, she left some time ago. She told me that given the circumstances, she thought it best to call it an evening."
Remington ran his hand over his face and grimaced. "Could the evening get any worse?" he muttered hurrying out the door.
"I hope we don't find out." Felecia whispered after him.